The defense ministers of the largest European military powers associated in the E5 group are negotiating in Krakow on the strengthening of common defense and further aid for Ukraine. The meeting, which is also attended by EU and NATO leaders, underlines the new security reality, in which Poland assumes the role of the European leader in arms spending.
On Friday, the meeting of the defense ministers of the countries of the E5 group began in Krakow with the aim of confirming the unity of Europe and the common responsibility for security in the Euro-Atlantic area. This is reported by the Warsaw correspondent TASR, according to the PAP agency.
- The meeting of defense ministers of the E5 countries began in Krakow.
- The aim is to confirm the unity and common responsibility of Europe.
- They discuss NATO defense, European defense and hybrid threats.
- The meeting is attended by representatives of the five largest European powers.
- The E5 group was established in 2024 to support defense and Ukraine.
Defense within NATO, European defense and hybrid wars
The host of the meeting in the premises of the Jagiellonian University is the Polish Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz. The defense ministers of France Catherine Vautrinová and Germany Boris Pistorius, the state secretaries of the Ministry of Defense of Italy Isabella Rautiová and the United Kingdom Luke Pollard, the high representative of the EU Kaja Kallasová, the deputy secretary general of NATO Radmila Šekerinská and the Ukrainian defense minister Mykhajlo Fedorov are participating in it.
Negotiations will focus on deterrence and defense within NATO, strengthening European defense, combating hybrid threats and continuing support for Ukraine. A press conference is planned after the meeting.
Poland in the top three of Europe
“Poland nominally spends more on armaments than Italy today, according to the budget for 2026. We are in the top three in Europe in terms of the nominal value of spending on security,” the Polish Minister of Defense said before the meeting.
The E5 group is an informal grouping of the five largest European military powers. It was established in 2024 with the aim of improving coordination in the field of defense and support of Ukraine.
